Pickup mechanism



R. G. FISCHER PICKUP MECHANISM Dec. l1, 1962 Original Filed June 25, 1958 l Zjjgl 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 if@ w23 LNV f :EEIELHH 6\ Z ,w ,ms Wl im v 0 3/ 7 `aJuul..nlllucnnllilnnv.. tlvnwrvnvvhll. mr'nmllg 1h. ru :E Ira-aft: la!!! E q DEEE inzit J f Z 3 R. G. FISCHER PICKUP MECHANISM Original Filed June 25, 1958 1 Dec, 11, 1962 3 SheetsSheet 2 R. G. FISCHER PICKUP MECHANISM Dec. 11, '1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed June 25, 1958 United States Patent flice e3,967,894 Patented Dec. 11, 1962 3,067,894 PICKUP MECHANSM Robert G. Fischer, Chatsworth, Calif., assignor to General Dynamics Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Original application June 25, 1958, Ser. No. 744,364. Divided and this application July 6, 1959, Ser. No.

z claims. (ci. 214-658) The present invention relates generally to a pickup mechanism and more especially to a pickup mechanism particularly adapted for lifting engagement with the interior of an associated container.

This application discloses a particular pickup mechanism designed for delivery and removal of specimen containers to and from a neutronic reactor such as that shown in application, Serial No. 744,364, filed on June 25, 1958, entitled, Neutronic Reactor. However, it Should be understood that the disclosed pickup mechanism has wide application in many other fields and is not limited for use in connection with the delivery and removal of containers from a neutronic reactor.

Accordingly, the principal object of the present invention is a new and improved pickup mechanism. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a study of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE l is an elevational view of a neutronic reactor in connection with which the ydisclosed pickup mehcanism is disclosed;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a pickup mechanism in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the pickup mechanism in engagement with a supported container located in an elongated pipe; the container and pipe being illustrated in cross section; and

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to that shown in FIG- URE 3 but with the pickup mechanism rotated 90 with respect thereto.

Now referring more particularly to the reactor illustrated in the drawings, the reactor, designated by the reference numeral 20, includes a core 21 disposed near the bottom of a reactor tank 22 which is located in a pit 23 and is lled with a liquid 24. 'I'he core 21 includes a plurality of fuel elements 25. Disposed in the core 21 are control rod assemblies 26 which are operated by suitable winch mechanisms 27 located above the reactor tank 22. A reflector 28 encircles the core 21. Various irradiation facilities including a movable specimen rack 29 are provided in the core 21 and reflector 28, for irradiating specimens at preselected radiation levels. A horizontal shelf 30 is preferably provided at the upper end of the pit 23 for the mounting of the control rod winch mechanisms 27. The surface of the shelf 30 is at a suiiicient depth from floor level 31 to acco-mmodate the height of the winch mechanisms 27. A channel 32 may be attached to the concrete at each edge of the perimeter of the shelf 30 for support of a cover 33 over the pit 23.

. The specimen rack 29 is enclosed in a liquid-tight housing 34 located partially in the reflector and includes a plurality of spaced cups 35 which are attached to and extend below a at horizontally extending rotatable ring 36. The cups 35 serve as holders for specimen containers 37 and are accessible through a delivery and removable pipe 38 extending upwardly from the housing 34. Suitable means for driving and locating the rack 29 in relation to the delivery and removal pipe 38 extend through a tube 39 which extends upwardly from the housing 34.

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, each Specimen to be irradiated is made of such a lsize that it may be inserted into one of the cups 35 of the rotary specimen rack 29. The specimen container includes a tube 40 that has its bottom end closed. The bottom edge of the tube 40 may be chamfered to facilitate the insertion of the specimen container 37 into a cup 35. Attached to the upper end of each tube 40 by threading, rolling, crimping or the like, is a lifting extension 41. The lifting extension 4l has a -transverse wall 42 across its lower end which provides a closure for the upper end of the tube 40 and has a vertically extending tubular wall 43. A head portion 44 is threaded, crimped, or otherwise joined to the upper end of the tubular wall 43. The head portion 44 slopes downwardly and inwardly from the tubular wall 43 and terminates in a substantially horizontal lower shoulder or flange 45 which extends outwardly to the wall 43. The head portion 44 is adapted for engagement with a coacting pickup mechanism 46.

The pickup mechanism 46 is used to deliver the specimen containers 37 to and to remove the specimen containers 37 from the cups 35 of the rotary specimen rack 29. In the illustrated embodiment, the pickup mechanism 46 includes a cable 47, a cable clamp 48, an electric solenoid 49 and a pickup linkage 50. A suitable specimen container hoist 51 (see FIGS. l and 2) positioned above the top of the reactor tank 22, is used to lower the containers 37 into and raise the containers 37 from the cups 35. The solenoid 49 which may be of standard construction has an over-all diameter less than that of the delivery and removal pipe 38. The cable 47 performs the dual function of furnishing electric power to the solenoid and providing a means of raising and lowering the pickup mechanism 46 The cable 47 is mechanically supported by the cable clamp 48 which is attached to the top of the solenoid 49. The cable clamp 48 is composed of top and bottom ange members S2 and 53 and a common web member 54. The bottom flange member 53 has a hole through its center and a transversey groove on its bottom surface through which the cable 47 is threaded for electrical attachment t0 the solenoid. The top flange member 52 ofthe clamp 48 is in two sections and has a centrally located hole 55' of a diameter less than that of the cable 47. The cable 47 is placed between the two sections and the sections are fastened together, thus compressing the cable 47 The pickup linkage 50 includes two parallel outer arms 56 attached at their upper ends to the casing of the solenoid 49, and two movable linkages 57 inside of the outer arms 56 pivotally mounted to the lower end of an outwardly spring biased plunger 58 within the solenoid 49 and to the lower end of the outer arms 56. The movable linkages 57 are each composed lof two arms 59 and 60 pivotally joined together intermediate the solenoid 49 and the lower ends of the outer arms 56. When the solenoid 49 is deenergized the junctions between the lower and upper arms 59 and 60 of the movable linkages 57 will extend outwardly in opposite directions to approximately the inside .diameter of the lifting extension 41. In this position the upper ends of the lower arms 59 have flat horizontal surfaces 61 which are engageable by the flange 45 of the head portion 44 of the lifting extension 41. When the solenoid 49 is energized, the plunger 58 moves upwardly, which reduces the outward extension of the ljunctions between the lower and upper arms 59 and 60 as as to allow the pickup linkage 50 to pass inside the head portion 44 ofthe lifting extension 41.

In operation, the pickup linkage 50 is inserted into the .Aplate 67 by means of bolts or the like.

lifting extension 41 either by manually pressing the pickup linkage into the lifting extension or by temporarily energizing the solenoid. 49'and then dropping the pickup linkage into the lifting extension, after whichthe specimen container 37 may be lowered through the delivery and removal pipe 38 into one of the cups 35 of the specimen rack 29. The solenoid 49 is energized and the pickup linkage 50 is removed from the lifting extension 41. The height of the specimen container 37 should be such that when a plurality of containers 37 Aare inadvertently stacked one above the other in the delivery and removal pipe 38 and underlying cup 35, they will not interfere with the subsequent rotation of the ring 36. The process is reversed for removal of a specimen container 37 from the rack 29. However, the bias on the solenoids plunger 58 may be in such a relationship to the weight of the pickup mechanism 46 that the plunger 58 will be forced upwardly when the pickup mechanism 46 is lowered into contact with the specimen container 37. In this manner the pickup mechanism 46 will enter the Ispecimen container 37 without the necessity of energizing `the solenoid 49.

Referring to FIGURE 2, the specimen container hoist 51 includes a drive motor 62, a reel 63 rotatably con- -nected to the drive motor 62 through a speed reducer 64, and a limit switch mechanism 65 connected to the reel 63 through a speed increaser 66. These components are arranged in a line on a base plate 67, which is suitably `mounted alongside the `reactor tank 22. All of the components of the specimen container hoist 51 are commer- -cially available and are not explained in detail.

As previously indicated, the cable 47 which is attached to the solenoid 49 of the specimen container pickup mechanism 46 delivers electric power to the solenoid 49 `and at the'same time supports the specimen container 37 :as it is lowered and raised. This eliminates the need for separate cables for power and for support purposes. The cable 47is received by the reel 63, which is provided with brushes and commutators so as to maintain electrical connection to a power source (not shown) as the reel 63 is rotated.

The reel 63 is suitably hung from an overhanging arm '68 of a C-shaped support 69. The C-shaped support 69 is attached by its lower arm 70 to the base plate 67 by bolts or lsimilar means. One end of the shaft of the reel 63 is connected by means of a iiexible coupling to vlthe output shaft of the speed reducer 64, which reduces the speed of the drive motor 62 so that the cable 47 is not 4wound or unwound at too great a speed. The inputshaft yof the speed reducer 64 is connected to the drive motor 62 which is mounted to the base plate 67.

The other end of the shaft of the reel 63 is connected to the input shaft of the speed increaser 66 by means of a flexible coupling. The speed increaser 66 is mounted on a support suitably fastened to the base plate 67. The output shaftofthe speed increaser 66 is connected to the :limit switch mechanism 65 by means of a flexible coupling.

The limit switch mechanism 65 is mounted to the base The speed increaser 66 isiprovided in order that the accuracy of the .adjustment of the limit switch mechanism 65 is within the tolerance necessary for proper operation of the specimen container hoist 51.

The limit switch mechanism 65 is connected into the `drive motor'circuit (not shown), so as to deenergize the motor 62 and thus limit the travel of the cable 47. Gen- Aerally, the limit switch mechanism 65 ir set so as to deenergize the motor `62 either when the specimen container 37 is fully inserted into the cup 35 of the rotary jspecimen rack 29, or lwhen the specimen container 37 is raisedto a desiredposition outside the reactor tank 22.

In one'embodiment of the invention the drive motor .62 was an instantly reversible, single phase, non-synchronous motor with a speed of approximately 1750 r,p.m. Using a speed reducer 64 having a speed reduction of 60 to 1 with the 1750 r.p.m. motor, and having an average pitch diameter of 4 inches on the reel 63, the resulting speed of the cable 47, and thus the container 37, was approximately 55 inches per minute.

The base plate 67 is mounted on the upper cross member 71 of a generally T-shaped support 72 which is rotatably mounted to one of the channels 32, which forms one of the edges of the shelf 30 at the upper edge of the reactor pit 23. The cross member 71 is a flat, elongated, horizontally disposed, rectangular plate which is fastened to an upright pipe or tube 73 by means of a pipe iiange 74 which is mounted to its lower surface by means of bolts or the like. An overhanging arm 75 which supports a sheave 76 at its outer end extends transversely from the cross member 71 of its T-shaped support 72. The overhanging arm 75 may be any suitable structural member such as a rectangular conduit, angle bar, channel member, or the like. In the illustrated embodiment, the overhanging arm 75 is composed of a generally rectangular conduit which has a slot (not shown) in its lower surface adjacent its outer end. The sheave '76 is mounted in the outer end of the overhangingarm 75 and partially within the slot by means of a forked support 77 so thatthe shaft 78 which supports the sheave 76 extends horizontally. As shown in FGURE 2, the shaft 78 is disposed in suitable holes adjacent the ends of the arms of the forked support 77. The forked support 77 is fastened to the innersurface of the lower side ofthe overhanging arm 75 by bolts or similar means. The T-shaped support 72 is rotatably mounted so that the overhanging arm 75 may be swung from its normal position overlying the reactor tank 22 to a position on one side thereof for easy accessibility into the interior of the reactor.

The base plate 67 of the specimen container hoist 51 is suitably mounted in a centrally located slot 79 in the upper surface of the cross member 71'by means such as rotatable clamps 80. A housing 81 which is seated around the perimeter of the cross member 71 may be provided for enclosing the specimen container hoist 51.

The lower end of Vthe upright pipe 73 is rotatably mounted in a circular recess 82 in the upper surface of a generally rectangular base support S3. An elongated cylindrical support rod 84 of a diameter just less than that of the upright pipe 73 extends upwardly from the bottom of the recess 82 into the lower portion of the upright pipe 73 to provide added support'for the upright pipe 73. The base support 83 is suitably attached, as by welding or the like, to the web of one of the channel members 32, which forms one side of the shelf 30. The upper flange of the channel member 32 is cut away, and the lower surface of the base support 83 is notched so as to allow the base support 83 to be abutted against this web.

A movable locking member 85 isprovided on the upper surface of the base support S3 for preventing the rotation of the T-shaped support 72. Thelocking member 85 includes a horizontally extending nger 86 which is slidable into and out of engagement with a suitable hole 87 in the side wall of the upright pipe 73. The locking member 85 Aa pair of bolts 88 which extend through a slot 89 in the locking member 85.

This application is a division of application, Serial No. 744,364, filed `lune 25, v1958, and entitled Ncutronic Reactor. Various featuresof the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pickup mechanismfor specimen cans disposed in a vertically extending, velongated tube extending into a nuclear reactor, comprising an elongated electrical cable, a solenoid electrically connected to one end of said cable, means mechanically connecting said solenoid to said cable so that said cable solely supports said solenoid and any specimen can carried thereby, said solenoid having a horizontal cross section which is less than the internal diameter of said tube, winch means connected to the other end of said cable for raising and lowering said solenoid and for supplying electrical energy thereto, a plunger extending axially of said solenoid, said plunger moving upwardly upon actuation of said solenoid, a spring biasing said plunger downwardly, and link means pivotally secured to said plunger, said link means including a iixed member extending downwwardly from said solenoid, and a pair of opposed links, each of said links including an engaging link and a connecting link, said engaging links being pivoted at their lower ends to the lower end of said fixed member, having engaging shoulders adjacent their upper ends, and being pivotally connected intermediate said engaging shoulder and said lower ends with the lower ends of said connecting links, the upper ends of said connecting links being pivotally connected to the lower end of said plunger, said load-engaging shoulders being movable from a laterally outwardly extending, loadcarrying position when said plunger is in its downward most position to a retracted position when said plunger is moved upwardly by said solenoid, said downwardly biased condition of said plunger being such that said engaging shoulders move toward their retracted position by passage through an opening in the specimen can having a width less than the maximum distance between said engaging links when in their extended position and greater than the maximum distance between said engaging links when in their retracted position, the distance between said engaging links when in their extended position being less than the internal diameter of said tube.

2. A pickup mechanism for specimen cans disposed in a vertical extending, elongated tube extending in a nuclear reactor, comprising an elongated electrical cable including a conductor and surrounding insulation, a cylindrical solenoid electrically connected to one end of said cable, said solenoid having a diameter less than the internal diameter of said tube and including clamping means mechanically connected to the insulation of said one end of said cable to support said solenoid and any specimen can carried thereby, winch means connected to the other end of said cable for raising and lowering said solenoid in said tube and for supplying electrical energy thereto, a plunger extending axially of said solenoid, said plunger being moved upwardly in said solenoid upon .actuation of the same, said plunger being spring biased in a downward direction, and link means connected to said solenoid, said link means including a pair of spaced apart, parallel fixed members extending downwardly from said solenoid on either side of said plunger, the upper ends of said xed members being formed to provide inwardly directed shoulders which serve as a stop for said plunger, and a pair of opposed pairs of links, each of said opposed pairs of links including an engaging link and a connecting link, said engaging links ibeing pivoted at their lower ends to and between the lower ends of said iixed members, having engaging shoulders adjacent their upper ends, and being pivotally connected intermediate said engaging shoulder and said lower ends with the lower ends of said connecting links, the upper ends of said connecting links being pivotally connected to the lower end of said plunger, said engaging shoulders being movable from a laterally outwardly extending position when said plunger is on said stop to a retracted position when said plunger is moved upwardly by said solenoid, said downwardly biased condition of said plunger being such that said engaging shoulders move toward their retracted position by passage through an opening in a specimen can having a width less than the maximum distance between said engaging links when in their extended position and greater than the maximum distance between said engaging links when in their retracted position, the distance between said engaging links being less than the internal diameter of said tube.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Rea Dec. l5, 1942 

